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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. present — the time now
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. stock — shares
  5. present — there
  6. current — electric
  7. current — of water
  8. current — happening now
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — the animal
  11. date — the fruit
  12. stock — goods
  13. bulb — for light
  14. toast — bread
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. rash — a series
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. rash — hasty
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. bulb — for light

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com